What We Believe

Of the Scriptures

We believe the Bible as originally written is verbally inspired and written “by holy men of old as they were moved by the Holy Spirit;” that it is without any admixture of error; that it is the only complete and final revelation of God’s will; and that by it alone, human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be determined. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21; John 17:17; I Peter 1:23)

Of the True God

We believe there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exodus 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11; I John 5:7)

Of the Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person; equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in creation and that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God’s purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, or righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the Truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the New Birth; that He seals, empowers, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. (John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16;Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14, 16, 26-27)

Of the Devil or Satan

We believe in the personality of Satan who was once one of God’s highest created beings; that through pride and ambition he fell; that he is now the malignant “prince of the power of the air” and the unholy god of this world; that he is the implacable enemy of God and His Christ, and the accuser of the brethren; that he is the author of all false religions; that he is destined to final defeat at the hands of Jesus Christ, and that he shall be cast into the lake of fire forever and ever. (Ezekiel 28:14-17; Isaiah 14:12-15; II Thessalonians 2:8-11; Ephesians 2:2; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:10; II Corinthians 11:13-15; Revelation 20:10)

Of the Creation

We accept the Genesis account of creation and believe that man came by the direct creation of God, in His own image. (Genesis 1&2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3)

Of the Fall of man

We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker, but by voluntary transgression fell from his sinless and happy state in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, by choice; and therefore under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-6; Romans 5:19; 5:12; 5:10-19; 1:18, 32)

Of the Virgin Birth

We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner; born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or ever can be born of a woman, and that He is both the Son of God, and God, the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14)

Of the atonement of sin

We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of Grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God, who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin, honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and by His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins; that His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner’s place, the Just dying for the unjust; Christ, the Lord, bearing our sins in His own body on the tree; that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven, and uniting in His wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfection, He is in every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior. (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24; John 3:16; Matthew 18:11;Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; Romans 3:25; I John 4:10; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5:21)

Of the resurrection, personal, visible, premillenial return of Christ and related events

Of grace in the new creation

We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be born again; that the new birth is a new creation in Christ Jesus; that it is instantaneous and not a process; that in the new birth the one dead in trespasses and in sins is made partaker of the divine nature and receives eternal life, the free gift of God; that the new creation is brought about in a manner above our comprehension, solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in connection with divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the gospel; that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance and faith and newness of life. (John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17; I John 3:6-7; Acts 16:30-33; II Peter 1:4;Romans 6:25; Ephesians 2:1; II Corinthians 5:19; Colossians 2:13; John 3:8)

Of justification

We believe that the great gospel blessings which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification:
(a) That Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the gift of eternal life on principles of righteousness.
(b) That it is bestowed not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. (Acts 13:39; Isaiah 53:11; Zechariah 13:1; Romans 8:1;Romans 5:9; Romans 5:1)

Of repentance of faith

We believe that repentance and faith are (a) solemn obligations, and (b) also inseparable graces, (c) wrought in our souls by the quickening Spirit of God; (d) thereby, being deeply convicted of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confessions, and supplication for mercy; (e) at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ and openly confessing Him as our only and all-sufficient Savior.
(a) Acts 20:20
(b) Mark 1:15
(c) Acts 2:27-38
(d) Luke 18:13; Romans 10:13; Psalm 51:1-4; Psalm 51:7; Isaiah 55:6-7
(e) Luke 12:8; Romans 10:9-10

Of the security of the saints

We believe that all who are truly born again are kept by God the Father for Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6; John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39;
Jude 1)

Of the righteous and the wicked

We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in His sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death, in the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost. (Malachi 3:18; Genesis 18:23;Romans 6:17-18; I John 5:19; Romans 7:6; Romans 6:23; Proverbs 14:32; Luke 6:25; Matthew 25:34-41; John 8:21)

Of baptism and the Lord's Supper

We believe that Christian baptism is the immersion of the believer in water to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life, that it is a prerequisite to the privileges of a Church relation. We believe that the Lord’s Supper is the commemoration of His death until He comes and should be preceded always by solemn self-examination. (Acts 8:36-39; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5;Matthew 3:16; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28)

Of the local church

We believe that local church is a congregation of immersed believers, associated by a covenant of faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the ordinances of Christ governed by His laws; and exercising the gifts, rights and privileges invested in them by His Word; that its officers are elders and deacons whose qualifications, claims, and duties, are clearly defined in the Scriptures; we believe the true mission of the church is faithful witnessing of Christ to all men as we have opportunity. We hold that the local church has the absolute right of a self-government, free from inheritance of any hierarchy of individuals or organizations; and that the one and only superintendent is Christ, through the Holy Spirit; that it is scriptural for true churches to cooperate with each other in contending for the faith and for the furtherance of the gospel; that each local church is the sole judge of the measure and method of its cooperation; on all matters of membership, of policy of government, of discipline, of benevolence, the will of the local church is final. (Acts 2:41-42; I Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:17-28; I Timothy 3:17; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23-24; Acts 15:13-38; I Peter 5:1-4)

Of civil government

We believe that civil government is (a) of divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; (b) that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; (c) except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ; (d) who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the coming Prince of the Kings of the earth.
(a) Romans 13:17; II Samuel 23:3; Exodus 18:21-22
(b) Acts 23:5; Matthew 22:21; Titus 3:1; I Peter 2:13-14; I Peter 2:17
(c) Acts 5:29; Acts 4:19-20; Daniel 3:17-18
(d) Matthew 10:28; Matthew 23:10; Revelation 10:16; Philippians 2:10-11; Psalm 72:11